This article is the first in a new column in Psychiatric News on
computer and related technologies and their applications in patient care, the
operation of a medical practice, and personal information needs. The goal of
this column is to explain the basics of these technologies as well as to
introduce the latest innovations and how they might be useful to you.
Since this issue of Psychiatric News is all about APA's 2005
annual meeting in Atlanta, let's launch the column by telling you about
sessions that might address some of your informatics needs.
Every year there are many annual meeting workshops, symposia, and courses
that cover a range of topics in medical informatics. There are also new
sessions and categories created for these technology topics that address
various aspects of how technology impacts psychiatry.
Please note that there is an additional fee to attend CME courses, and you
must register in advance.
Topic 29: Neuropsychiatry
Course: "Computer-Assisted Diagnostic Interview (CADI)";
Wednesday, May 25, 8 a.m.-noon; Hilton Atlanta, Second Floor, DeKalb Room
This course demonstrates use of CADI, a computer assisted diagnostic
interview program on the PDA and computer. Participants will have a hands-on
opportunity to learn how to utilize this tool in their practice.
Topic 54: Information Technology Symposium: "National Health
Information: General Hospital and Addiction Psychiatry"; Wednesday,
May 25, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Omni Hotel, North Tower, Street Level, Cottonwood
Room
This symposium will cover the impact of the National Health Information
Infrastructure initiative on mental health. The discussants will provide an
overview of the initiatives, discuss usage of electronic health records,
review the initiative's impact on mental health as well as general medicine,
and address how different practice settings such as private practice, rural,
and academic psychiatry will be affected in terms of data collection, clinical
outcomes, and reduction of errors. The role of APA in developing standards as
well as maintaining the privacy of mental health information will be
emphasized.
Course: "Online Communication in Mental Health: Different
Contexts, Different Issues"; Wednesday, May 25, 8 a.m. to noon;
Hilton Atlanta, Second Floor, Fulton Room
This course will review the various issues regarding online communication,
including online communication between clinicians, "Ask the
Expert" sessions between clinicians, communication between clinicians
and patients, communication between patients, and "e-therapy"
patients.
Course: "Psychiatry and the Internet"; Wednesday, May
25, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Hilton Atlanta, Second Floor, Paulding Room
This course will review some of the many resources available on the
Internet, such as Web browsers and search engines, and how to use them
efficiently. Participants will learn how to access and find medical
information, as well as how to download it. Patient-care issues such as online
therapy and its implications will be reviewed.
Issue Workshop: "Virtual Reality and Other Forms of Cybertherapy:
An Evidence-Based Review"; Wednesday, May 25, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.;
Georgia World Congress Center, Level 3, Room B316
This workshop will discuss the scientific literature regarding various
technological therapeutic innovations such as virtual reality, video games,
adaptive displays, and other forms of computer-based therapy in terms of
effectiveness, ethical issues, and exacerbation of preexisting mental health
problems.
Topic 59: Personal Digital Assistants Course: "How to Use Your
Palm OS PDA in Psychiatric Practice: Basic"; Tuesday, May 24, 8 a.m.
to noon; Hilton Atlanta, Fourth Floor, Board/Directors Rooms
This course is for beginners who own a Palm OS PDA. There will be hands-on
instruction on how to enter information, use the different built-in programs,
synchronize with your desktop computer, install software, and utilize medical
software such as ePocrates Rx.
Course: "How to Use Your Palm OS PDA in Psychiatric Practice:
Advanced Topics"; Tuesday, May 24, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Hilton Atlanta,
Fourth Floor, Board/Directors Rooms
This course is for advanced users who seek to get more out of their Palm OS
device. This course is not intended for beginners or for those taking the
above basic course until after they've had time to practice the skills they
learned in that course. Topics will include how to prepare emergency backup of
data, how to create a hand-held database, how to capture Web sites for offline
viewing, and how to better organize your programs for ease of use.
Course: "How to Use Your Pocket PC PDA in Psychiatric
Practice"; Wednesday, May 25, 8 a.m. to noon; Hilton Atlanta, Second
Floor, Paulding Room
This new course will cover basic functions of the Pocket PC operating
system PDA. Participants will learn ways to optimize their device settings,
implement security, synchronize data with their desktop computer, and install
medical software.
Topic 61: Presidential Theme: "Psychosomatic Medicine: Integrating
Psychiatry and Medicine"
Course: "MAPSS: Computer-Assisted Screening of Medical Patients
for Mental Disorders"; Tuesday, May 24, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.; Hilton
Atlanta, Second Floor, DeKalb Room
This course focuses on the use of MAPSS, a computerized program to screen
medical patients for mental disorders. Participants will learn how to use
MAPSS in their practice.
Issue Workshop: "American Indian Telepsychiatry: Bridging Culture
and Distance"; Tuesday, May 24, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Omni Hotel,
North Tower, Street Level, Dogwood A.
This issue workshop will discuss the role of telepsychiatry in providing
mental health to American-Indian and Alaska-Native communities in terms of
medication management, group therapy for PTSD, consultations for children with
mental illness, and consultations to nursing homes with Alaska-Native elders.
The presenters will discuss their experiences using telepsychiatry and provide
videotape examples.
Course: "Expanding Health Care Delivery? Let Telepsychiatry
Help!"; Tuesday, May 24, 8 a.m. to noon; Hilton Atlanta, Second
Floor, Gwinnett Room
This course will discuss how to utilize telepsychiatry. Topics include
comparison of telepsychiatry with traditional delivery of care and the
hardware needed to set up video conferencing, and will provide a demonstration
of clinical applications of telepsychiatry. ▪